Wednesday, May 16, 2012

My Mini Deck Makeover

I had some pretty big dreams for what I was going to do with this deck. I didn't quite make it to all I wanted, but I think I'm pretty satisfied with the new look anyway. Do you remember me showing you this picture a few months back?

Such a sad looking little space! My main objective was to clean it up, and brighten it up. Here is what it looks now.

Feel free to ignore the fact that my grass desperately needs mowing. As I've mentioned before, I am not a green thumb type. That fact, and the fact that this deck get FULL sun ALL day, makes growing anything a challenge. I tried window baskets on the railings for a while, but the poor flowers just got fried within a few weeks. I gave them up, and just went with some along the front and a few in pots. My super sweet mister built me the cute little fence around the flower beds.

I think they look like tiny horse pasture fences, and I love them.

The deck itself got a new coat of paint, which helped the general appearance enormously. I repainted an old wooden chair and put in in the corner for extra seating.

It sits right under my flower hanger pole, which I told you all about here.

I stashed another little plant stand (junk store fine) in another corner.

I spray painted a black utility rug and put it between two pots in front of the door. I'm going to have to add stripes or something, because it looks like AstroTurf to me.

And of course, the main attraction is my freshly painted rocking bench.

I'd love to have more flowers and such, but, realistically, I think it's as good as it's going to get. It's not pealing paint, and it's colorful, so I'm happy. Have you been working on any summer time projects lately?

2 Corinthians 8:9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

I love your deck makeover, it turned out great. I love looking around your lovely blog and I stumbled upon your blog and I am so glad I did. I am a new follower. I would love for you to stop by www.homesweetbutterfly.com.

I think the deck looks great as is but if you are looking for more flowers there are quite a few varieties that thrive in full sun apaces. A potted hibiscus would make a lovely addition. Gerbera daisies also do well in full sun and look great in pots as well as planted. Roses are also sun lovers. They actually need 6 to 8 hours of sun each day to thrive and while many people shy away from them because they are hard to care for there are many hybrid varieties these days that are disease resistant and require little care. Shrub roses bloom all summer, stay rather small, and are constantly packed with blooms. One of my favorite choices though is sunflowers. its hard not to feel happy watching the big bright yellow blooms sway n the breeze. Im no master gardener or anything but I do love flowers as you can probably tell! Lol. Hope the info is helpful. And btw do love the blog and want to let you know how kind it is of you to post your patterns and tutorials. Many people with your talents would not be willing to share their skills but rather be only interested in selling their own creations. Speaks volume about your character. Thank you!

Yes, adding more color to your deck is the best decision you made. My favorite area is actually the corner with your flower hanger which looks like a fairy-tale inspiration. If you decide to add more pieces to it, I can imagine it looking like a venue for a tea party with Alice and the Mad Hatter. Haha!

Just looking at those splashes of color makes me happy, too, Abby. They make me think of childhood paintings that scream, “Oh, happy day!” The striking contrast between the usual color of wood and those colors creates a charming effect that makes a person smile and relaxed. Good job!

Oh yes, white! You can never go wrong with it. If you need to smarten up a space, putting some white add-ons will definitely get you that warm and inviting look. This is totally much better than before!